Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s sudden retirement from Test cricket, calling it a surprising move that caught the cricketing world off guard.
Kohli announced his decision to step away from the longest format on May 12, just ahead of India’s upcoming tour of England. What made the announcement even more unexpected was that Kohli had recently played a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi in January, suggesting he was preparing for a Test comeback.
Kaif revealed that Kohli was actually planning to be part of the England series, which makes his retirement all the more shocking. He also suggested that the decision might have been influenced by a lack of support from the BCCI and selectors.
“Given the last minute decision, having played the Ranji trophy, I definitely think he wanted to come back in the upcoming Tests. The developments in the last few weeks, he may have not gotten the support he thought he will get from BCCI and selectors which he may not have gotten,” Kaif told NDTV (via Hindustan Times).
According to Kaif, it’s possible that Kohli was told he was no longer in the team’s plans due to his recent form in Tests. While the real reason behind the decision may never be known, Kaif believes it wasn’t purely personal.
“I think he wanted to continue in the format. There must have been some internal talks with the BCCI, the selectors may have cited his form in the past 5-6 years and told him his spot in the team may no longer be there. We will never find out what happened, it is very difficult to guess what actually took place behind the scenes,” he added.
Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket having played 123 matches for India, scoring 9,230 runs at an impressive average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties to his name.
